STEP-BY-STEP Shell-Off Floor Replacement

[A-Merry-Can]

Originally Posted by 59toaster

You are a glutton for punishment LOL

So what did you end up finding for window frames?

well, i have a frame out of a 64 tradewind to stick in. the problem is, the window frame is not as deep as our sills, so i don't think it's going to seal up very well. i have all the pieces out of the trailer, i just need to clean up the pieces, and have them welded back together before i start worrying about that. i'll post pics once i get to that point (probably next week).

and yep, i seem to like pain... i'm putting in a new axle, plumbing, electrical and LP in the trade-wind so she's ready for the spring...



jp

[A-Merry-Can]

feels good to be back on the Silver Pickle again! i got a break in the weather (though cold), and finished the side windows this weekend. the rear frame is out, and once i strip the old paint, it will be ready to reweld, and start on teh rear window fabrication. i'm planning on pullin gout the front window as well, and resealing the whole shebang with vulkem. new eyebrows should be here this week as well. i's going to be nice to have all the windows finally in and DONE. i've been taking my time on this, because i really don't want ANY leaks in the future.

next up:
• pull out and reinstall front window
• fabricate and install rear window
• reseal outside endcaps with alcoa
• install new eyebrows

then it's time to take a look at the door. i'll get to the interior SOMETIME this year! ha!

jordan

[NorCal Bambi]

I'm working on the inside of my trailer now. And I'm with you on the leaks. I just bought 6 more tubes of Vulkem. Your trailer's looking great. It feels good to be making progress again.
Don

[pinkflamingoes]

Hi A-Merry-Can,

When you get around to fabricating your bathroom, let me know...we need to do the same thing, as we're putting the bedroom in the back and (hopefully) fabricating some kind of wet bath right where our wheel well goes. It's a ways down the road for us but I like to puzzle about it ahead of time as much as I can.

Your trailer looks great!

[urb2165]

Thank you so very much for all this great information. It has helped me make up my mind on if I should buy the two 1959 Landyatchs I've had my eyes on these past 4 months. One has a Black mold on the frount interior and exterior. This unit has been sitting under an old hickory tree for the past 10 years. No broken glass but soft floor at door and in bath. Will be buying as is. The other unit has no windows and the floor is in same condition. Both will need frame off restorations.
Where can I buy wheels to replace the ones that are on them now. I have been told that they are split wheels, very unsafe. One unit has rusted frame small pin holes starting to eat through the rear frame under the bath. Think that this can be repaired by welding.
Interior walls what can I do?

Thanks again and I do hope to hear from you soon.

Rodney Boyette urb2165@bellsouth.net
Here in Dillon, SC.

[flyfshr]

Hey Rodney ~

Welcome aboard. Glad to see more '59 trailers being brought back to life again. Post some pix of both when you can.

Brad
FF

[flyfshr]

If one of these trailers has a spare tire, you can take the spare to a large scale tire and wheel shop and they should be able to either match the rim offset and bolt pattern or at least point you to another place that can. Do not expect them to remove a useable tire from a spilt rim. In some cases, they won't even let you take it out of your vehicle. They can measure it and should have a template to determine the bolt pattern.

Brad
FF

[urb2165]

Thank you for the advice

[scottanlily]

Hello A-Merry-Can ,
Looking really good .I noticed that you airstream has 60 style wheel wells ,like my 60 tradewind has ,interesting ,I don't remember though if the 59 had them or if it's california as mine is.

Scott

[A-Merry-Can]

those wheels are the crappy wagon wheels. once i get back on the wagon with it, i'll have to swap them out with some baby moons, and white wall tires! i've had to take a hiattus from the little guy this year. new baby, and our trade wind eat up all my time! we're camping every weekend for the next 2 months in it!



jp

[A-Merry-Can]

... been sporatic at best on the Silver Pickle this year! every weekend i plan on working on it, i'm fixing what broke the weekend before on the trade wind! yes, i hate to admit it... 2 airstreams is a bit much...but as long as one's ready to hit the road, i've got the time! she's been relocated under the deck as well. stays nice and dry, and i can finally ditch the blue tarp that's been hanging over her for a year. BAD MOVE, by the way, the brand new aluminum upper skins have oxidized from the trapped moisture. it's nothing that won't buff out, but still frustrating none the less.

anyway, since the last post, i got the rear window in, got the front window sealed, new gaskets in the side windows. i'm saving the front window for after i strip off the remaining paint. i STILL can't believe some previous owner painted this trailer... oh well... i also put in all the remaining interior wall braces i had forgotten to reinstall after replacing all the skins. it's funny to think the only original skins left on this trailer are the end caps and top roof piece, that you can't see anyway! i'm still undecided as to whether or not i'm going to put any access hatches in it. they are indeed convenient, but the way the trailer looks right now is so clean and simple. i almost hate to alter it.

oh yeah, last night i fabricated the drip cap over the door, and plan on installing it later this afternoon... she's ALMOST waterproofed!! i'll post pics of that after she's in. i'm going to try to work on the tail lights as well. i've really been looking forward to that part. i got all the parts i need to put in recessed bargman #9s, rather than the 99s that stick out. the recessed dishes are unavailable, but i found some recessed truck lights about the right size on eBay. all i'll be using is the cups, not the lenses, with the #9 trim rings and lenses from vintage trailer supply. they look REALLY nice.

more soon!

jordan

[A-Merry-Can]

... like so many of her siblings, the rear window was long gone, frame and all... replaced by a really classy AC unit from home depot. NO GOOD! in my vain search for a replacement window frame for my trailer, the closest i could find was an early 60s window. they mount the same way at the top (with the angled piece of aluminum that slides in from the side). the windows apparently grew 3 inches in height in the early 60s, so i had to have them cut down and re-welded.

the problem is, they aren't as thick as the original frames, which makes them not seal against anything when closed. also, the mechanisms are totally different.

so... in the interest of NOT hacking up the original window frames any more than they've already been done, i'm thinking about leaving the window mechanisms off, and just installing a window lock on the bottom. as for sealing, i'm thinking about using that foam tape as a temporary fix, until i can come up with something better. the really nice thing about these late 50s window frames is, they are so thick, even if water gets by, it doesn't come over the edge of the frame into the trailer.. except in extreme circumstances.

more pics...

[A-Merry-Can]

it took a little forming as it went on, but i got the eyebrow over the door installed. one eyebrow away from the shell being totally weather proof. i need to address the rear window next.

[A-Merry-Can]

i had some time this morning, so i went ahead and did one rib space worth of insulation. there's no new insight here, just installation of the tried and true foil insualtion technique, offset from the wall with 3/4" foam strips. the only change i made, if it's even change-worthy is i made wider strips of the foam for the top curve. on my tradewind those curves are very prone to dents if you lean wrong while buffing, so the wider strips, sandwiching the foil should give me a lot more support in those areas when it's "Bling" time!

before the interior walls go on, i'll put backing strips on the inside as well. i think the walls will have a lot more structure to them this way than they ever did from the factory.

more coming this weekend!

jp

[MarkR]

I like your eyebrow . . . looks a lot more substantial.
Did you happen to make a template or measured drawing?
Appreciate you posting your project.
MarkR

[A-Merry-Can]

i made 2 pieces, actually. one was out of left over 2024 i had from the skin, and another was a much softer grade of Al. i can't remember off the top of my head which one, but i got it off the McMaster.com site. 2024 is a hard metal to work with, and mine ended up splitting. DEFINITELY use a softer grade for these parts.

as for the template, and making it, it's really not too terribly hard. i just layed a flat piece of Al on the inside edge of the eyebrow, and added 1/2" on each side for the tab and fold over. it makes a funny looking shape at the ends, where it actually starts curving back out. that was tricky when running it through the metal bead maker.

anyway, after cutting it with nibblers, i used a brake to make the front edge, then rolled the metal a bit to get it curving, then ran the edge next to the trailer through a tool that makes a small bead on it. it gave me an edge to fold the metal to with my hand grips. that was the toughest part, making it fit snug against the trailer. in some places, it's a little further off than the stock was, but it's sealed with vulkem, and should never leak! i still have to clean up the edges a bit of vulkem residue. when rivetting it back on, i used about twice as many rivets as it originally had... starting at the center and workign each edge down one rivet at a time for symetry.

it's a nice feeling to know i can FINALLY start on the interior now! (at least in the center section, anyway).

jp

[NorCal Bambi]

A Merry Can, Nice work with the metal. Thanks for including all the pictures. For me it really helps in the understanding of what you are doing. I agree the eye brow looks great.
Don

[A-Merry-Can]

thanks don, the eyebrow was a little trickier to get to fit than i anticipated, but definitely worth the effort. my original was really dented up. i was tempted to just make a simpler one out of chanel, like the newer airstreams... but this big piece is part of what makes them look vintage, in my opinion. i'm planning on tackling the tail lights this weekend. that should really finish up the rear.

jp

[funchucky1]

Still looking great...in fact, looking better every time, A-Merry-Can!

[A-Merry-Can]

i'm on the slow boat, that's for sure! ha! of course, i've never been on a schedule with this trailer. thanks, though!

jp